British Columbia Federation of Labour

The B.C. Federation of Labour tracks the BC Legislature to intervene on issues of concern to working families. Each year, the Federation makes a submission to Victoria on the provincial budget and follows up with briefs, lobbies and direct meetings with elected officials on both sides of the House.

Read the Federation’s submission on the 2007 budget.

Pensions and benefits

Decent pensions are a critical support for working families. A recent report by the Premier’s Council on Aging and Senior’s Issues triggered a pledge by Premier Gordon Campbell to end mandatory retirement.

The Federation accepted the proposal but challenged the Premier to implement all the recommendations of this key report.

To learn more about our perspective on mandatory retirement read the Federation’s submission on seniors issues Aging with Dignity.

To contact the Federation’s Pension Working Group, contact research@bcfed.ca.

The Federation also collaborates with SHARE. The Shareholder Association for Research and Education is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving institutional investment practices that protect the long-term interests of pension plan members, beneficiaries and society in general.
SHARE also organizes, along with the Federation, an annual conference on pension issues.

For more on SHARE and its programs, click here

Temporary foreign workers

The explosive growth of the Temporary Foreign Workers program has created a new class of vulnerable workers who exist outside the immigration system. Vulnerable to deportation, they are subject to low wages, unsafe conditions and employer abuse. The BC Federation of Labour has established a working group to develop policy on the issue and works closely with the Canadian Labour Congress, which is also working with unions across Canada on the problems associated with Temporary Foreign Workers.

Read Analysis, Solidarity, Action - A Workers' Perspective on the Increasing Use of Migrant Labour in Canada , the Canadian Labour Congress’ discussion paper on the issue.